They just don’t make them any finer than this, folks. The perfect storm of dynamic tone, easy projection, and effortless playability, this 2000 Sobell Model 1 is the epitome of the fingerstyle guitar. This guitar was custom built to accomodate fingertips rather than flatpicks with its 1 13/16″ nut, and the profile of the neck was altered from Sobell’s standard C shape to a more shallow version–one which is absurdly comfortable for the left hand to hold.
No matter if we were playing this Model 1 in Standard, DADGAD, or more esoteric C tunings, big chords or small, the voice was rich and expressive, with seemingly endless sustain. You really don’t have to give the strings much force in order to achieve a powerful projection, but neither does the Model 1 “top out” when played with an aggressive attack, so you can play subtle ballads and rousing reels with equal presence. Of course, flawless playability isn’t the only trick up this one’s sleeve: there’s also the gorgeous set of Brazilian Rosewood for the back and sides to consider, or the Sitka Spruce top, or the Highlander IP-1 pickup!
The previous owner of this instrument has taken excellent care of her, so you’ll be hard-pressed to find any scratches or dings across these beautiful woods–and this Sobell comes in a Calton flight case, so there’s no worries about the Model 1 coming into harm whenever you happen to not be playing it.
I haven't played a Sobell that I didn't like, sure--but this is by and large one of the nicest necks I've ever laid hands on from Stefan Sobell! Big, complex chord shapes felt right at home with the spacious 1 13/16" nut, and the upper register overtones absolutely blew me away. The bass strings continued to be crisp and expressive, even when I dropped the Sobell down to Cadd9. 
If you like a guitar with lots of clarity and midrange punch, you won't do much better than this. The evenness of response across the strings is not unlike a good classical guitar and for that reason, it would be extremely easy to mic. Add that to the collectibility of instruments made by Sobell and you've got a winner. | Scale Length | 25.63 in |
|---|---|
| Nut Width | 1.81 in |
| String Spacing | 2.25 in |
| Woods | Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Brazilian |
They just don't make them any finer than this, folks. The perfect storm of dynamic tone, easy projection, and effortless playability, this 2000 Sobell Model 1 is the epitome of the fingerstyle guitar
I haven't played a Sobell that I didn't like, sure--but this is by and large one of the nicest necks I've ever laid hands on from Stefan Sobell. Big, complex chord shapes felt right at home with the spacious 1 13/16" nut, and the upper register overtones absolutely blew me away
If you like a guitar with lots of clarity and midrange punch, you won't do much better than this. The evenness of response across the strings is not unlike a good classical guitar and for that reason, it would be extremely easy to mic 